Want to go to a show where no one talks, at all? No, we’re not talking about a show put on by mimes, at least, not mimes in the traditional sense. We’re talking about the azulene sensation, the Blue Man Group.

This quiet and painted-blue act started in the 1980s in New York City, as three friends trying to make some pocket money by performing on the streets. Now there are over 60 official blue-men, and they sell-out shows on every (liveable) continent – all without saying a word.

From the Streets to the Stage

The original Blue men were Chris Wink, Matt Goldman, and Phil Stanton, collectively known to the fanbase as CMP. As we said, they started as a street act in the ’80s, but people quickly took notice, and they started getting spots at clubs before the end of the decade.

It wasn’t until 1991 that they got their full-length show, though, which premiered at the Astor Place Theater. After a few glowing theater critic reviews and hundreds from happy fans, the blue men started getting more invites – this time from TV shows. They’ve been featured on The Tonight Show and alluded to in countless movies and programs, including Fox’s/Netflix’s Arrested Development.

Painting the World Blue

With the success of their show Tubes and their exposure to the media, they started performing around the world. In 2007, they managed to land a “residency” of sorts for a show at Universal Studios in Orlando.

It seems that there was more demand than for the show than CMP could handle, so they trained more men who were willing to paint themselves blue. Since there are so many blue men, finding a place the Blue Man Group is performing is pretty straightforward. Prices are usually reasonable, depending on the venue.